The Challenge
HDPE Plumbing & Trading, a wholesale supplier of HDPE systems, fittings, valves and tooling in Alrode South, Alberton, had outgrown ticket-based IT from a previous provider. Trade customers still relied on awkward quote workflows, Pastel needed reliable ongoing support, remote staff struggled without a clean VPN path, and the branch needed a proper network, fibre and CCTV foundation — while the old web presence was not generating meaningful inbound traffic.
Our Solution
African Vanilla took over the full IT relationship. We implemented a completely new network with fibre and Reyee (Ruijie) wireless, procured and installed CCTV end-to-end (hardware, mounting and configuration), and rolled out NetBird VPN so remote users can work securely without the old remote-access headaches. We provide ongoing Pastel support alongside 24/7 monitoring, unlimited helpdesk and a 2-hour critical SLA. On the commercial side we rebuilt hdpeplumbingtrade.co.za as an Astro wholesale site with a quote cart across 1,266 products, supplier-pricelist automation into the website and Pastel exports, plus SEO foundations — all on transparent month-to-month terms.
HDPE Plumbing & Trading supplies the Gauteng construction and plumbing trade with HDPE systems, fittings, valves and welding lines from 4 Rivett Carnett Street, Alrode South, Alberton. In a high-volume wholesale environment, every minute of system downtime — and every stale price list — hits the bottom line. Their public platform is hdpeplumbingtrade.co.za.
IT takeover: network, CCTV, VPN and Pastel
We replaced the previous provider relationship with a single accountable partner. On site that meant a new fibre-backed network with Reyee wireless, CCTV cameras bought, installed and configured, and NetBird VPN so remote team members can reach the business securely. Day-to-day we also run Pastel support plus the Vanilla Partnership Programme stack: monitoring, helpdesk, patching and backups.
What we rebuilt on the web
African Vanilla replaced the old brochure-style presence with a production Astro site built for trade buyers:
- 1,266 products in a filterable catalogue
- Quote cart so contractors can assemble requests online
- Dynamic pricing pulled from supplier pricelists rather than hand-edited pages
- SEO-ready category and product structure on hdpeplumbingtrade.co.za
The pricelist bot → Pastel loop
Supplier sheets change constantly. We built a custom pricelist bot that ingests those lists, publishes clean data for the website, and exports Pastel-ready inventory/pricing so the accounting system stays in step with what trade customers see online. That is custom software sitting next to managed IT — not a one-off spreadsheet ritual.
Outcome
HDPE now runs modern branch infrastructure and a wholesale web platform that actually generates enquiries — something the previous site was not doing — with the same transparent, month-to-month IT partnership that keeps the floor moving. See also our website building, networking and custom development services if you need a similar stack.
The partnership continues with regular reviews, proactive recommendations and real response guarantees.
"They took over from our previous IT provider and rebuilt the foundations — network, fibre, cameras, VPN for remote staff, and Pastel support. Our new website is generating trade enquiries now. It feels like a proper partnership."
Key Results
- ✓ Full IT takeover from the previous provider with dedicated account ownership
- ✓ New fibre + Reyee (Ruijie) network, CCTV procurement/install/config, and NetBird VPN for remote staff
- ✓ Ongoing Pastel support plus managed monitoring, helpdesk and backups
- ✓ Astro wholesale site live with quote cart across 1,266 catalogue products and pricelist → Pastel automation
- ✓ Website now generates inbound trade enquiries — traffic the previous site was not delivering
Want similar results for your Gauteng business?
Start with a free, no-obligation IT audit. We will give you clarity on your current state and what a transparent partnership would deliver.
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